It took some people visiting the 6th annual Creekside Festival at the Princess Place Preserve about 45 minutes to make it through the two-mile dirt road, from Old Kings Road to what parking spots they could find under the pines at the peak of Saturday’s attendance. Which was just fine for the organizers: it translated to a full house, with some food vendors actually running out of some items and the kind of cool, dry weather that makes for postcard moments all day. The festival will do it all over again Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Click On:
- Grumpily, Tourist Council Extends Aging Grant for Princess Place Preserve 1 More Year
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- Flagler Beach’s Great Bed Race: The Nuttiness, The Bed-Hopping, The Photo Gallery
- All Maya All the Time: How the Government Building in Bunnell Became Archeology Central
- Photo Gallery: Bunnell’s 2nd Annual Potato Festival
- Steeling It Up at the Caribbean Festival (Parking Grinches Aside)
“We probably had as many people today as we had all weekend last year,” said Doug Baxter, president of the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event and uses it as one of its main fund-raisers. Last year the festival drew 11,000 people. “We’re very happy. We’ve had no reports of anyone getting hurt; we had one man get sick. That’s it.” And one electrician getting at least seven appointments for next week, a reflection of some of the incidental benefits for merchants at the festival.
One of the main attractions was the Flagler Home Builders Association’s 2010 Flagler Green Expo, which featured innovatively tiny (which is to say, hyper-efficient) water heaters and what looked, from ground level, like giant solar panels (the same solar panels that look like tiny reflectors when lined up in solar farms, though these could be fitted on homes). The expo wasn’t the only place you could spy smarter toilets, too: the St. Johns River Water Management District unabashedly displayed one of its own as a throne all day (and will again Sunday).
Twenty-five percent of the proceeds (including from the $3-per-carload entrance fee) will be turned over to the Flagler County Commission to be spent exclusively on maintenance and preservation of the Princess Place, the county’s most important historical and ecological park. The fee (similar to the one charged at last weekend’s Hispanic Heritage festival in Palm Coast) rankled Jim Guines, the former school board member: “The chamber raises money in hard times by charging $3 per car to come in Princess Place and selling beer $3 a bottle at a family oriented affair,” he said. “With already sold food and vendor spaces, Ford sponsored the thing along with others, you would think the entrance would be free.” He added, wryly, “economic development, I guess.”
The fee evidently did not discourage attendance. Three musical acts plucked away most of the day–Seminole Ridge, New River Bluegrass and Moors and McCumber.
See a photo gallery of the festival, and watch clips of Kort McCumber below the gallery.
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PCadiron says
It took us about 50-55 minutes just to enter the event! By the time we got to the point of either “parking” or “exiting”, we chose to exit because we had wasted too much time in the car already. We left and had a late lunch instead, which seemed to be a better use of our time by the pictures.
We will not attempt to attend this event again, but will go back to Princess Place when it is more calm and scenic.
PCer says
I was there early to help at one of the vendors. I will go back with the family today – but I will go right when it opens to avoid some of the crowds.
tulip says
Why don’t they pave the road going in and out of there? We visited PP a couple of years ago–it is a beautiful place! Wanted to go back on a day they did the house tour but the thoughts of the awful driving on the road discouraged us from doing so,
SAW says
Creekside is obviously ground zero for the same chamber and the developers etc ,who are not satisfied with the clear cutting our beautiful state, but now in a small way, add insult to injury by covering the entire festival area, with vote NO signs.
While enviromentaly not pleasing to most peoples eyes, these signs are also costly, and use resources which will all end up in the landfill in a couple of weeks.
But then again, not their worry, as these same developers recieved Federal Bailout Funds (your money) which than can use for their NO campaign, and they fully realize that this amendment is a must win for them.
Developers and the like, have no intention of letting you, the people decide, on what is best for them, they much prefer the status quo, of having three commissioners make those decisions.
Be assured, a YES vote for this amendment is the developers worst nightmare.
Don’t be mislead, VOTE YES, to protect your state and it’s residents from irresponsible growth, a no vote is simply for business as usual.
Please consider a YES vote for responsible growth, and tell everyone you know to do the same, these guys are well funded with your tax dollars. Hometown Democracy is a grass roots movement no government support !
Visitor says
Today I visited the Creekside festival at Pricess Place Preserve. It was sponsored by the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce which is trying to defeat the “Hometown Democracy Amendment” In the upcoming November election, amendment 4 will ask voters if they want citizens to have a voice in deciding land use and growth issues in their community. The alternative is to continue allowing developers and local elected officials to decide how our community will grow. As we entered the property we observed signs everywhere urging people to vote NO on ammendment 4. Once at the festival, I and a couple friends proceeded to hand out fliers explaining what the ammendment was and how it affects the future of our area. We carried a “Vote Yes” sign. People were very interested wanted to inform themselves about the issue. Soon we were approached by the President of the FCCC who asked if we had a booth and if not we were not allowed to use the sign and fliers to present our position to the festival attendees. He indicated that a lot of money had been spent on their Vote NO signs and here we are with Vote YES signs. Not going to have it!
Think about it: County park on county property, open to the public and no signs to indicate our action was not allowed, Does the event fee they paid to use the park give them a right to stop freedom of speach on public property. Special interests preferr urban sprawl and unbridaled developement over Florida’s quality of life and environmental protection are on the move with big money support. Over developement is what got us into the economic mess we find ourselves in today. Lets give citizens a voice when decisions are made regarding clear cutting our landscape for more development and sprawl , Please Vote YES on Amendment 4 and inform your friends to do the same.
R. Smith says
How inappropriate for the organizers of the Creekside Festival to allow a political agenda to permeate this event. How odd it is that they would not support the citizens having a say in urban sprawl when their very property is up for grabs….hhmmm
However, this is America and these things happen all the time. Now, if they want to allow representation of one side of the argument then they should allow and expect that those who are for Amendment 4 will voice their opinion. I applaud you Visitor for exercising your Freedom of Speech. Whether you paid to have a booth to cram your opinons down the throats of the crowds or not, you still have the right to carry your signs, wear your t-shirts and if you want, stand on a stump and shout your viewpoints.
I hope you declined to put your sign away, I would have told them to arrest me. This is a public place and not a privately owned piece of property. Well, it is for now….
http://floridahometowndemocracy.com/
George says
I smell first amendment rights violation here, it wasn’t private property, last time I checked it was owned by the county.
Running Bull says
It is a shame. A private organization, with a very narrow agenda, takes over a public park. Did they even pay for the use of the park? Citizens must pay!
Then The Flagler Chamber of Commerce politicize the whole event by pushing their agenda.
Then they charge admission – to a Flagler County public park! Does local or state law allow this to be done by a private not-for-profit group? This is a question for the U.S Attorney’s Office in Jacksonville to look into.
It was not a Creekside Festival. It was a Flagler Chamber of Commerce push their issues festival.
Some might think that this is the offical position the Flagler County Commiissioners hold on the issue as they ultimately are the approving authority for park use. Should the Flagler County Commissioners, as a uniform body, hold views on constitutional issues coming to vote?
All done without the decency of giving the opposite point of view a chance to air their thoughts on the issue, in a public tax-payer owned park. The Chamber of Commerce pays no taxes.
I believe Doug Baxter may have committed a felony crime in a public park !
Another question for the U.S. Attorney in Jacksonville.
Baxter is not the arbiter of Free Speech in the United States of America. His strong arm tactics are totally inappropriate for this type of venue. May I have use of Princess Place to play heavy metal rock and roll and push a membership drive for the Nazi Party. I don’t think that I would be allowed.
Big business can be stopped from running/ruining America !!
Drop a note in the mail or phone Mr. O’Neill and ask him to look inot this matter – your voice and your opinion count. Express your displeasure at this not-for-profit lobby group and their activities.
Robert E. O’Neill
United States Attorney
300 N. Hogan Street, Suite 700
Jacksonville, Florida 32202
Phone: (904) 301-6300
Fax : (904) 301-6310
Running Bull says
One last thought.
Alcoholic beverages are illegal in Flagler County parks. There are signs posted advising this.
Did the Flagler County Board of Commissioners give The Flagler County Chamber of Commerce special dispensation to break this law also?
SAW says
Buckle up, as Mr.Baxter’s Chamber, will be getting together with their (fellow playmates) the realtors, at their meeting this Wednesday at 6:00pm in a ONE sided “seminar” on AMENDMENT 4, which is scheduled to be held at 4101 East Moody, Bunnell. ( IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A STRONG STOMACH, DO NOT ATTEND)
They are starting to play hard ball now, as all major intersections around P.C. currently have large signs showing a black hand, with thumb down vote no.
Just remember it is (your tax money) being spent in this manner to further devastate OUR Florida, just so unscrupulous developers can fill their pockets, THEY are the big boys in the game, and of course they will make the big bucks.
Unfortunately, their followers, and hangers on, who willingly walk the line behind them ie. realtors and the like, are simply willing to sell out their OWN state for the few (crumbs that are left over), one must feel very sorry for those people, as evidently they do not realize that they are only pawns in the game, filling the pockets of the big guys.
Hey, who knows we may get lucky and inherit another plane hanger or two out of all this ?
PLEASE VOTE YES, let’s all work to save OUR state from such profiteers, and be sure to tell all your friends.
Jay Ell says
Kinda interesting, this Amendment 4, issue. Hiassen seems to have nailed it rather well.
From what I can see, voting YES on this issue is what the Founding Fathers intended, GOVERNMENT of the people, by the people, and for the people. Isn’t too bad that the defining moment was lost when the real Americans with the YES signs did not hold their ground and summon the Police and the media. Sure, they might be called trouble makers, but what a great promotional and marketing opportunity.
George says
Amendment 4 should be a Tea Party’s wet dream, but sadly it’s not.
SAW says
George, I hope that a member of the P.C. TEA PARTY will have Mr.Lawrence comment on this most important issue currently before the voters, he should not remain silent because if the tax supported developers get their way, taxes will continue to increase.
More houses do not equate to lower taxes as the NO group say, the opposite is in fact true, since more homes require more services ,schools, police, fire, garbage and the list goes on.
Just common sense, look at L.A. , NEW YORK, or even here in Florida Miami, Tampa etc. they would of course pay little in the way of taxes because they have so many houses.
We need all on board Nov.2nd to beat back this assault. Please spread the word far and wide as they are using OUR money right now to hurt our state. INSANE to say the least. MR.. LAWRENCE ARE YOU OUT THERE ?
Running Bull says
LA, New York, New Jersey, Miami, West Palm, Phoenix, Cape Coral ~ they pay much larger taxes than we do. These people have screwed “up north” so badly one can hardly afford to live there. These same quality of minds have screwed all of South Florida into expensive grid-lock. East and west coast.
Now in their charge for the almighty buck they want to destroy Flagler County. That is the goal of the local and national Chamber of Commerce – rape the land bare ~ squeeze the last dollar of profit.
I personally feel that these people are hypocrites when they pander about with their American Flag Lapel pins. They do not care for the welfare of the United States – they only wish to continue to line their pockets. If they truly cared about quality of life for the citizens their signs would say yes – not no.
Read about the Enterprise Flagler people in the News Journal ! “they are now looking at a dedicated sales tax increase” ! that is a quote from them. Who the hell are they to look at are taxes rates at all – or are they so sure they already have their votes in a row.
It is time for some public records requests at the County. Find the expense reports and find out who is goingwhere to do what on our dime. Requests at the cities would not hurt either.
Corporations with main offices in New York and even foreign countries feel they have the right to tell us how our communities should be developed. Where are our county and cities politicians on this issue.
Home rule means less high-life for commissioners, mayors, city managers and councilpeople.
We are stuck with the aborted remains of GinnLand, because our elected officals were ready to give away the world to him, and now they all drool, shouting “let’s build a 50,000 square foot building.”
Industry is not coming to Flagler County, There is no transportation for heavy industry _ they ship out by rail. But wait…But wait…build it and they will come. Did anyone ever get a lick of icing from Cakes over The Universe?
And the we have Palm Coast Data ~ slashing jobs – hiring – laying off – is anyone sure they have met their goals for all the goodies they got. No- and they have not . They will be out of business in Flagler County within 2 years, but that is another stroy for anoiher place.
Save what quality you have remaining people.
VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION 4.